


Pool Day

by WonderfullyWonderingAlone59



Category: Queliot - Fandom, The Magicians
Genre: Multi, Quentin can’t swim, fear of water
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-10-20 23:03:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20683397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderfullyWonderingAlone59/pseuds/WonderfullyWonderingAlone59
Summary: The gang enjoys the pool on a hot day. Quentin is afraid of water.





	Pool Day

The pool. Everyone was in the pool and Quentin was...terrified. He’d never learned to swim due to a traumatic experience when he was little and has avoided pools ever since. 

Now it was a scorching hot summer day and the gang was hanging out in the pool in the backyard of the cottage. Eliot hadn’t arrived yet, he was still off doing some errand for Fogg. Quentin just sat on a lawn chair and watched everyone having fun. He was kind of off in his own head when Margo suddenly splashed him in the face. He gasped and looked down at her. She stood in the water smiling at him. 

“Would you just get in, Q? What are you waiting for? Don’t be a party pooper. It’s sweltering, come cool off.”

Quentin wiped his face off and looked around nervously. 

“I’m just gonna stay here. I don’t feel like getting in.”

Margo glared at him. 

“Really, Q? Are you afraid to take your shirt off in front of us or something? We’re not gonna laugh at you. Besides, most of us have seen you in your underwear anyways.”

“Just get in, Coldwater. Don’t be a pussy.” Penny lifted Kady up onto his shoulders and handed her a foam ball and she tossed it to Quentin.

He caught it and threw it back but stayed put. He was starting to feel anxious and really wished his boyfriend would hurry up and get home. 

“I’m just waiting for Eliot. We were gonna...get food. I think. And I don’t even have shorts on.”

“Oh would you just come on? You can eat later. And you don’t need shorts, just swim in your boxers! Penny is...”

Quentin thought maybe if he just sat on the steps of the pool he’d be ok. Surely that couldn’t be too scary. He stood up and stripped down to his boxers and slowly walked to the steps. He hesitated at the first one until Margo splashed him again. He slowly stepped down and sat on the first step which barely covered his feet. 

“What are you waiting for, Q? Come throw me in the water.” Margo was getting impatient. 

Penny leaned up against the side of the pool. “I think he’s scared.”

“I’m not scared! Well, I...”

“What is it, Q? Do you not know how to swim or something?” Margo stood with her arms crossed, eyeing him. 

“Not...really? I...never learned. I fell into a pool when I was like 2 or something and I would never go near one again after that. My dad tried to get me to take lessons a few years later but I refused, so.”

They were all just staring at him now and he felt embarrassed. Margo came forward and reached for his hand. 

“Ok...well, that’s alright. Come here, I’ll help you.”

She took Quentin’s hand and he reluctantly took it and stood. When she tried to pull him closer he freaked out. 

“No! No...I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“Q it’s alright. It’s not even deep here, see? The water doesn’t even come to my knees and I’m the shortest person here.”

She spent what seemed like an hour trying to coax Quentin into the water with her but he wouldn’t do it. The sliding glass door opened and Eliot came towards them, holding a drink in one hand. 

“Oh, we’re swimming, great. Its like 200 degrees.” He downed his drink and quickly stripped down to his boxers and jumped right in making everyone duck at the splash. When he came up he looked around and then to Quentin and Margo.

“Oh, Bambi, Q doesn’t swim. I guess I didn’t tell you.”

“Yeah, you didn’t. We just found out about his little fear of water. I’m trying to help him but it’s not happening.”

Eliot swam to the steps and stood up, shaking the water off of his hair. 

“Do you WANT to get in, Q? Bambi isn’t bullying you is she?” Margo rolled her eyes at Eliot.

“I mean, kind of? But...I can’t. I’m good with just sitting here watching you guys. Really.”

Eliot took Quentin’s head in both of his hands and kissed him. 

“Come here, darling.” He hugged Quentin to him for a moment and then took his hand. 

“Just walk out here with me, baby. You don’t have to go in the deep end. You’ll be waist deep, that’s it.”

Quentin whimpered. Eliot pulled him down one more step. Quentin’s legs started shaking and Eliot grabbed onto his waist and held him tight. They went down the rest of the way and Quentin stepped onto the bottom of the pool. He looked down and realized he was knee deep and got scared and tried to turn around. Eliot held him.

“Hey, it’s ok. I’m not going to let anything happen to you, baby. Trust me.”

Quentin’s nails were digging into Eliot’s arms as he held on for dear life. Eliot was in front of him and Quentin just focused his eyes on his chest as they took small steps. Once Quentin was waist deep he began to panic. He was clawing at Eliot and hyperventilating. He couldn’t breathe. Eliot pulled him close and too his face in his hands.

“Hey, hey. Look at me. Just relax, you’re ok. I’ve got you, Q. Ok? Look at me. Breathe...”

Quentin tried his best but it was hard. Eliot just held onto him trying to calm him down. Once he was breathing a little better he let up on Eliot’s arm, realizing he was probably hurting him. 

“See? You’re fine.”

Quentin looked around, suddenly feeling very embarrassed that everyone was watching him. 

“You’re doing awesome, Q.” Margo came closer and smiled at him. It made him feel a little better. 

Eliot moved forward and let go Quentin’s waist, taking his hands now and slowly leading him around in the water. They walked around for a few minutes, letting him get used to it. Eventually they were down to one hand. Penny tossed the ball to Quentin and got out to stand on the edge. 

“Throw it.”

Quentin did and Penny jumped into the water making a huge splash as he caught the ball. They all laughed and went about their playing. Eliot dipped himself under and then back up, splashing Quentin with his hair. He leaned in to kiss him. 

“I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you. For helping me. I can’t even believe I’m in here. My dad would have a heart attack.”

Eliot smiled and kissed him again. 

“Come here.”

He lifted Quentin up and held him so Quentin could wrap his legs around his waist. 

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“Just trust me.”

Eliot slowly walked to the deeper end. It was only 8ft but to Quentin it seemed like the depth of an ocean. He squeezed his legs around Eliot. He was panicking again. The water was to the middle of his back now. Eliot stopped and held onto Quentin. He called down and rested his chin on Eliot’s shoulder, looking around. Eliot cupped one hand on the back of his head.

“See? You can get in the deeper part and not be afraid. I’ve got you.”

They stood there for awhile and then Eliot walked back and forth with him from the shallow to the deep end just letting him get used to it and see that it was ok. 

“Do you want to go under?”

Quentin’s eyes got huge. “What? NO! No, no, no.”

Eliot chuckled and shushed him. 

“I’m joking, sweetheart. Relax. That’s for another day.”


End file.
